Dog Control
FAQs

Waterford City & County Council in exercise of the powers conferred on it has made the Control of Dogs Bye-Laws 2015 for the regulation and control of dogs within the administrative area of Waterford City & County Council. The Control of Dogs Bye-Laws 2015 makes provision for the imposition of fixed payment notices.

Yes, every dog requires a dog licence by law. An individual Dog Licence costs €20 and must be renewed each year and can be purchased from your local post office. Lifetime Dog Licence is available for €140 for the lifetime of the dog and can be purchased at the Council offices in Dungarvan or Waterford City.

A general Dog Licence for an unlimited number of dogs costs €400 and must also be renewed annually and can be purchased at the Council offices in Dungarvan or Waterford City. An on-the-spot fine of €100 may be issued by the Dog Warden to any dog owner unable to produce an up-to-date licence.

On 1st January 2012, new legal requirements under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 came into force in Ireland.

These legal requirements apply if you keep 6 or more female dogs which are more than 6 months old and are capable of breeding.

You should contact your local authority to check if you are covered by these new requirements.
Anyone who is covered by the new requirements must register with their local authority and must ensure that their premises meets the new requirements as set out in the GUIDELINES issued by the Department of the Environment.

Failure to register with your local authority is an offence under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. These new requirements may cover the keeping of dogs even when they are not used for, or never will be used for breeding purposes. Your local authority will clarify if you are covered by the new requirements. The Department of the Environment has published the following GUIDELINES on the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 which give clear guidance on the structural, operational and record keeping etc. standards required by Dog Breeding Establishments under the Act.

Stray dogs collected by the Dog Wardens are delivered to the Waterford Dog Shelter in Bilberry, Gracedieu near Waterford city. The Waterford Dog Shelter serves both the city and county areas. The poundkeeper is Ms. Kate Wall.

If you have lost your dog, wish to re-home a dog or wish to surrender a dog, please contact Waterford Dog Shelter on :
051–872247 or e-mail : dshelter@waterfordcouncil.ie

Dog Shelter Opening Hours :

11am - 1pm, 2 - 4pm Monday to Friday

11am - 1pm on Saturday

Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays

During 2014, a total of 587 dogs were collected by the dog wardens or surrendered by owners in Waterford city and county. 138 dogs (=23%) were re-homed directly from the Dog Shelter while 185 dogs (=31%) were transferred to Dog Welfare groups for re-homing. 138 dogs were re-claimed from the shelter. 124 dogs i.e. 21 % were humanely euthanised. These figures compare well nationally being better than average for re-homing/re-claiming and lower than average for euthanasia. 5264 dog licences were issued for dogs in Waterford city and county during 2014 including 4 general and 9 lifetime licences.

Yes: Every dog is required by law to have an ID badge attached to their collar. Every dog must have a collar with the owner’s name and address inscribed on a disc or on a badge. Failure to do this may result in an on-the-spot fine of €100. This will help if your dog is lost or stolen. These can be bought at various veterinary surgeries and pet shops.

Yes, as microchipping of all dogs is now required by law under the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 (S.I. No. 63 of 2015). From September 2015, all newborn pups are legally required to be microchipped and registered with an authorised database. This applies to all dogs from 31st March 2016.

Micro-chipping is a simple and effective way to make sure that your pet can be easily identified should you become separated. A small microchip, (about the size of a grain of rice) is inserted under the loose skin on the back of your pet's neck.

Your pet is registered on an authorised database that has been approved by the Dept of Agriculture, Food & Marine. A hand-held scanner at the nearest veterinary surgery or dog pound can easily read the chip when your pet is found and you will be reunited. Microchips for pets are about the size of a rice grain and are placed beneath the skin at a specific point by injection. Encoded on a the chip is a specific code number unique to the pet which is registered along with details of it's breed, sex, age and most importantly the owners name, address and telephone numbers.The main benefit of having them are that should your pet ever be lost or a dispute over ownership arise there is a quick and reliable way to establish the rightful owner. Pets can stray out of a garden when a gate is left open or if they manage to scale the wall or fence; they may be distracted on a walk and disappear away after wildlife or with other pets; sometimes they are injured while out on their own and may be brought to a vets surgery or a dog pound. In all these situations the quicker the owner can be reunited with the pet the less stress the pet will suffer. It is also very frustrating for Vets to have an animal brought in having been found wandering and having no way of identifying it although it may obviously be somebody's well loved pet.

A combination of a microchip and an identity tag is probably the best solution to the problem.

For more information on compulsory microchipping of dogs, please go to the Department of Agriculture,Food & Marine website at www.agriculture.gov.ie and on the home page, click on the Animal Health & Welfare tab and then on the Dog Microchipping tab. There you will find Frequently Asked Questions information as well as an up to date list of the databases approved by the Department to register your dog's details and issue Microchip Certificates of Registration.

What Do the Terms “Spaying” and “Neutering” Mean? “Spaying” and “neutering” are surgical procedures used to prevent pets from reproducing. In a female animal, “spaying” consists of removing the uterus and ovaries. The technical term is ovario-hysterectomy. For a male animal, “neutering” involves the removal of the testicles, and this is known as castration.

Does It Hurt? As the surgery is done under a general anaesthetic it is painless. The operation for both males and for females is straightforward and low risk. Recovery is usually uneventful. The worst your pet might experience is some discomfort for a short time after the operation.

When Should It Be Done?The usual recommendation is at 6 to 7 months for both cats and dogs. Your veterinarian should be consulted to determine the best time for your pet.

The Myth: “Shouldn’t A Female Pet Have One Litter First?”
The Facts: Allowing a female dog or cat to produce a litter does not have any benefits. There are health risks to the mother during the pregnancy and
when giving birth. Finding good homes for puppies and kittens isn’t easy. Plus, even if you manage to place your pet’s offspring, you are in essence condemning that number of unwanted shelter and pound animals. Irish local authorities have to destroy over 25,000 unwanted dogs every year. To help visualise this figure: If one dog was killed every five minutes, this would equal over two thousand continual hours of killing. This is equivalent to eight hours a day, 52 weeks a year of continual killing.

The Myth: Spaying and Neutering are not “natural”.
Humans domesticated animals and brought them into our lives. The environment we and our pets live in is very different from the ‘natural’ one. We have made them dependent on us, which means we are responsible for their well being, just as we are with any other family member. What’s natural about getting ‘rid’ of the resultant litters of unspayed animals in dumpsters, drowning or destruction in the pound?

The Myth: My pet will become fat and lazy once he or she is sterilized.
Pets become fat and lazy as a result of overeating and a lack of exercise, not from spaying or neutering. Your pet will actually benefit from spaying or neutering, because he or she will lead a healthier and longer life. Furthermore, spaying a female eliminates the possibility of her developing uterine and/or ovarian cancer and greatly reduces the chance of breast cancer. Neutering a male reduces the incidence of prostate enlargement and prostate cancer.

The Myth: It will change my pet’s personality.
Generally not. For a female there is virtually no change at all. For males it usually results in a diminishing of some aggressive behaviours.
Spayed/neutered pets are free from sexual anxiety and are, therefore, calmer and more content to stay at home. You also have the peace of mind that you
are not adding to the pet overpopulation. Also, if you have more than one pet, you will find they get along much better if they are all spayed or
neutered.

In a good-neighbourly manner, let the dog’s owner know how the barking affects you. They may not have realised what was happening. If this approach fails, you can make a complaint to the local District Court by downloading Barking Dogs Court Form. Alternatively, this form is available from the Environment Section. Tel: 0761 10 20 20.

For more information on filling out the complaint form please contact the Waterford District Court Office, The Courthouse, Waterford City. Tel: 051 874657
Email: WaterfordDC@Courts.ie

Please note: This form must be sent to the local District Court and not the Council's Environment section.

Dog dirt is smelly, sticky, disgusting and can cause disease. Under the Litter Pollution Acts 1997-2009, dog-owners are required to clean up after their dog fouls in a public place such as public roads, footpaths, parks and beaches. Failure to do so can result in an on-the-spot fine of €150. It is as easy as taking a bag with you every time you walk your dog in a public place. Simply place the bag over the faeces and lift it while pulling the bag downwards with your other hand. Tie a knot in the bag and dispose of in a litter bin or take it home for disposal.

Alternatively, Pooper Scoopers are available free of charge in all City & County Council offices. For more information, see our Scoop the Poop leaflet.

The cost of spaying or neutering your pet depends on many factors. For example, a large dog will cost more than a small dog; if your pet is overweight or in season this can also add to the cost. Contact your veterinarian to get a more accurate idea of the costs involved for your pet.
The cost of spaying/neutering is really quite small when compared, for example, to what you will spend on food for your pet over its lifetime. Also
consider the possible costs if you do not spay and neuter. If your pet should wander off in search of a mate, you may be faced with paying fines
and impoundment costs. Worse yet, think of the costs should your pet be injured while roaming for a mate.

Subsidised Dog Neutering Campaign is available for those on means-tested benefits.

Dogs' Trust, the international dog welfare charity with Head offices in both Ireland and the UK is now providing subsidised neutering for both male and female dogs in Ireland. Neutering is a simple procedure that has many benefits. Most importantly it prevents unwanted litters of puppies and so reduces the numbers of stray dogs and the numbers of dogs being destroyed in pounds across the country.

The neutering campaign offers people on means-tested benefits the opportunity to have their dog neutered for just €20.00 Contact any participating veterinary practice for more details or call the Dogs Trust National Neuter Hotline on 1890 946 336.

Yes, most importantly it prevents unwanted litters of puppies and so reduces the numbers of stray dogs and the numbers of dogs being destroyed in pounds across the country. Neutering has many health benefits. It reduces the incidence of mammary cancer in bitches and of testicular cancer in males. Having a bitch spayed will also put an end to packs of dogs following her around when she is in season and it can stop male dogs wandering off looking for romance !

Please contact your local veterinary practice for more information. Dogs Trust, a leading dog welfare charity now with a Dublin base, operates subsidised neutering schemes in partnership with veterinary practices around the country.